Enhancing first-time parents’ self-efficacy: A systematic review and meta-analysis of universal parent education interventions’ efficacy

Abstract

BackgroundPoor adjustment during early parenthood often leads to low feelings of parental self-efficacy, which influences parents’ behaviours towards their infants. The long-term consequences on infant development warrant the need for more attention on the efficacy of universal parent education interventions to empower parents and enhance their self-efficacy. ObjectivesTo synthesise available evidence and explore the efficacy of universal parent education interventions on the parental self-efficacy of first-time parents. DesignA systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Data sourcesA literature search of 10 databases was conducted to identify randomised controlled trials from each database’s point of inception to November 2016. MethodsBased on the inclusion criteria, 24,062 articles were screened for their titles and abstracts. Two hundred and eighty articles were identified for full-text screening. Risks of bias posed by the selected articles were assessed using Cochrane’s Risk of Bias instrument. Meta-analyses were conducted using RevMan 5.3. The overall intervention effect was evaluated using z tests at p < 0.05, while I2 and Cochran Q tests were used to measure heterogeneity. ResultsTen randomised controlled trials were selected; eight trials were combined in meta-analyses and two trials were synthesised narratively. A meta-analysis revealed that universal parent education interventions significantly enhanced parental self-efficacy (p < 0.001) among first-time parents and these effects were also maintained over time (p < 0.001). The extent of improvement in parental self-efficacy was affected by the duration of the interventions. ConclusionThis review provides sufficient evidence to support the use of universal interventions to enhance new parents’ self-efficacy. While intervention effects were sustained at the two-month follow-up, further research using randomised controlled trials and longitudinal studies are needed to determine long-term effects. The findings serve as an impetus for hospitals and healthcare professionals to integrate universal interventions in perinatal care to guide first-time parents’ transition into parenthood.